Hey, Comcast, the Rich Aren't That Different

When Comcast closed on its acquisition of NBCUniversal last year, U.S. regulators stipulated that the largest U.S. cable company had to build out its Internet network to reach underserved Americans. A group of residents on Chappaquiddick—a remote, picturesque island 527 feet off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard that made headlines after Senator Ted Kennedy’s fateful 1969 car crash—think they fit the bill. They’re demanding that Comcast provide them with high-speed Internet. The company has so far refused, saying cabling the island will cost $1.5 million without generating much future revenue. That’s because only about 16 percent of the roughly 500 households on the island are full-time residents, the company says. The rest are summer dwellers, including celebrities.